As it was expected after being linked with the player for a considerable amount of time, Sporting Kansas City has signed Igor Juliao on loan from Brazilian club Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro.

Juliao was part of the Fluminense U-23 squad that faced Sporting KC during their preseason and was spotted by the KC staff who had been looking into the possibilities of signing the player on loan. He played 20 matches in the Brasileirao in 2013 as the club won their fourth ever Brazilian championship.

In addition to making appearances for Fluminense Juliao has been part of the Brazilian U-20 squad as recently as 2013 during the South American Youth Championship.

MLS clubs have been the target over the last few years by Brazilian clubs to send players out on loan. The economic situation of Brazil has made the local economy exceptionally strong over the last few years with the Brazilian currency also rising to an unprecedented level. The Brazilian clubs have been able to benefit as they have been able to keep their players in Brazil longer before the usually inevitable move to Europe or elsewhere.

The usual method of Brazilian clubs is simple. Use the youth system to replace the players who have been sold on. This constant motion has been able to produce players at an alarming rate. But now with Brazilians staying longer there is no place for members of the youth teams to go, so the clubs have searched for ways to get those youngsters playing time and hopefully develop to be sold on as the selling of players is the primary way that Brazilian clubs survive.